Published Monday, 15 September, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
State Government backs Brisbane Southside businesses
Business operators on Brisbane’s Southside have been urged to tap into support and services provided by the Queensland Government.
Speaking at today’s Community Cabinet at the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler, Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said her Department’s Southside Regional Centre served more than 75,000 businesses.
“The Southside Regional Centre caters for business and industry south of Brisbane River and stretching to the Logan and Redland City Council areas,” Ms Boyle said.
“This is a region expected to grow by seven per cent in the next three years. Its priority sectors are advanced manufacturing of machinery, equipment and metal products, and environmental technologies and services industries.
“More than 95 per cent of Queensland businesses are small businesses and the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry is the lead agency on small business support and development.
“The Southside Regional Centre offers a wide range of business assistance services to help businesses grow and be successful.
“In the last financial year, for example, the Centre ran 44 workshops and seminars for 680 small to medium sized business operators.
“These covered a variety of important topics, including marketing, e-business, financial management, exporting, business planning and sustainable manufacturing.”
Ms Boyle said the Centre had also provided more than 2,500 one-on-one business consultations.
“The Department also gives assistance online and over the phone,” Ms Boyle said.
“More than 100,000 people statewide used the online SmartLicence service to access licensing information while around 22,000 were assisted by the Government Business Information Service and 11,000 telephoned the Business Hotline.
“The Department’s SmartSkills interactive learning component is also popular. It offers 70-plus subjects for business starters and operators to develop skills and knowledge.
“SmartSkills is found at www.business.qld.gov.au which has a wealth of information and tools that are easy to navigate.
“In addition, the Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI) scheme provides financial support to projects that promote the transformation of priority industries and drive Queensland towards an internationally competitive, sustainable and knowledge-intensive future.”
Ms Boyle said that under BITI, $90,450 was awarded to innovative Southside firm Heat Treatment Pty Ltd which will use the money to implement quality systems that will allow them and their supply chain to access the global aerospace and defence markets.
“BITI focuses on the big picture and the impact of a project on an industry as a whole,” she said.
Ms Boyle advised that small to medium enterprises operating in priority sectors could apply for between $30,000 and $250,000 for projects with the potential to diversify and expand their businesses.
For more information on how the Brisbane Southside Regional Centre can help grow your business, telephone 3884 7860.
For more information on BITI, visit www.industry.qld.gov.au/incentives or to access online services for Queensland businesses go to www.business.qld.gov.au
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
15 September 2008
Speaking at today’s Community Cabinet at the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler, Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said her Department’s Southside Regional Centre served more than 75,000 businesses.
“The Southside Regional Centre caters for business and industry south of Brisbane River and stretching to the Logan and Redland City Council areas,” Ms Boyle said.
“This is a region expected to grow by seven per cent in the next three years. Its priority sectors are advanced manufacturing of machinery, equipment and metal products, and environmental technologies and services industries.
“More than 95 per cent of Queensland businesses are small businesses and the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry is the lead agency on small business support and development.
“The Southside Regional Centre offers a wide range of business assistance services to help businesses grow and be successful.
“In the last financial year, for example, the Centre ran 44 workshops and seminars for 680 small to medium sized business operators.
“These covered a variety of important topics, including marketing, e-business, financial management, exporting, business planning and sustainable manufacturing.”
Ms Boyle said the Centre had also provided more than 2,500 one-on-one business consultations.
“The Department also gives assistance online and over the phone,” Ms Boyle said.
“More than 100,000 people statewide used the online SmartLicence service to access licensing information while around 22,000 were assisted by the Government Business Information Service and 11,000 telephoned the Business Hotline.
“The Department’s SmartSkills interactive learning component is also popular. It offers 70-plus subjects for business starters and operators to develop skills and knowledge.
“SmartSkills is found at www.business.qld.gov.au which has a wealth of information and tools that are easy to navigate.
“In addition, the Business and Industry Transformation Incentives (BITI) scheme provides financial support to projects that promote the transformation of priority industries and drive Queensland towards an internationally competitive, sustainable and knowledge-intensive future.”
Ms Boyle said that under BITI, $90,450 was awarded to innovative Southside firm Heat Treatment Pty Ltd which will use the money to implement quality systems that will allow them and their supply chain to access the global aerospace and defence markets.
“BITI focuses on the big picture and the impact of a project on an industry as a whole,” she said.
Ms Boyle advised that small to medium enterprises operating in priority sectors could apply for between $30,000 and $250,000 for projects with the potential to diversify and expand their businesses.
For more information on how the Brisbane Southside Regional Centre can help grow your business, telephone 3884 7860.
For more information on BITI, visit www.industry.qld.gov.au/incentives or to access online services for Queensland businesses go to www.business.qld.gov.au
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
15 September 2008